1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a center console for use in a vehicle and more particularly to a center console having a pair of storage compartments which can be easily accessed by the vehicle operator.
2. Discussion
With increased vehicle usage, traffic congestion, urban sprawl and the general acceptance of longer commutes between home and the workplace, the time which vehicle owners are spending in their vehicles is on the increase. Observing this, many vehicle owners attempt to use their vehicle as either a second office for conducting business affairs or as an extension of their home to relax while commuting. As such, vehicle occupants are tending to transport an increasing amount of gear, such as cellular phones, dictation machines, compact discs and cassette tapes. As such, there is a general need and desire to make the interior of the vehicle as comfortable and convenient as possible.
One manner of improving the convenience and comfort of the vehicle interior is to include storage compartments within the center console of the vehicle which would facilitate the storage of such gear. Recognizing this problem, several console designs had been developed over the years which include one or more storage compartments. Frequently, these consoles did not blend well with the vehicle interior, were not robust in their design and did not offer storage areas which could be conveniently accessed by the vehicle driver while operating the vehicle.
Consequently, there remains a need in the art for a center console having a pair of storage compartments which can be easily accessed by the vehicle operator.